The Imposter
by KelticKitten
Summary: Speed, Trixie, and Sparky travel to Sandanistan for the Race Across The Desert, but when Speed is unable to race, can anyone fill his shoes? (Speed/Trixie). This story takes place about a year after the events in "The Race for Her Life" and "Finding the Courage." I tend to write from the Anime, rather than the movie. Rating is M...for a wee bit of minor het smut.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Speed Racer or any of the characters in it. This story takes place about a year after the events in "Finding the Courage" and "The Race for Her Life". As with any writer, I do enjoy feedback, so if you enjoyed the story, please consider dropping me a note or review J Thanks for stopping by!

-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-Mach Go Go Go -5-5-5-5-5-5-5-

Racer Motors was busy preparing for the Race Across the Desert. This was a very important race because if Speed did not finish in the top fifty, he would be out the first half of next season, until the next open qualifying race. While the race was important to Speed, it was even more important to Racer Motors. Pops had just designed a new engine for the Mach 5. This race was going to be the first one with the new engine, and if it performed the way Pops thought it would, Racer Motors would be busy during the down season filling orders. But for that to happen, Speed needed to finish at the front of the leaderboard.

While Speed was working on the Mach 5 with Sparky, Trixie and Mom had gone shopping to stock up the emergency provisions that they would keep in the trunk. Ever since Trixie had been shot last year, Speed had decided that an extensive emergency first aid kit should be kept with them. While they had not needed any of the items, Trixie was updating some of the items that had expiration dates. She also insisted that they have a couple of extra bottles of water. That being said, they had it as streamlined as possible, as he wanted to keep the Mach 5 as light as possible.

"Trixie seems a lot more relaxed," Sparky said.

Speed nodded. "I think so."

"You two going on a picnic later?"

Speed blushed. "Yes."

Since he had almost lost her not just once, but twice, last year over a very short period of time, Speed had made sure to make time for Trixie, separate from racing or working on the Mach 5. It had taken her a while before she was ready to fly her copter. She had actually taken him for a flight very recently, which was something he had not let her do before.

"Good." Sparky looked at him. "You're really lucky to have a girl like that, who supports your obsession."

"She's my obsession, Spark," Speed said.

"Make sure she stays that way."

Speed nodded. "She will."

"Okay, now the Race Across the Desert will have a lot of sand, so we need to make sure the engine is completely sealed to make sure that none of it can get in and cause a problem," Sparky said.

"Right."

A couple of hours later, Trixie came back. She set the bags on an unused workbench and went to the trunk of the Mach 5 to pull out the first aid kit. She grinned as she saw two sets of legs sticking out from under the car, and squatted down. "Hi there."

"Hey, Beautiful," Speed said, sliding out. He stood up and went over to give her a hug.

She stepped back and grinned. "As much as I like it when you hold me, I really don't want to get grease on this."

Speed looked at her again and smiled. "New dress?"

She spun around, showing off the pink floral dress. It had a boat neck collar, cap sleeves, and a full skirt. "Yes, I thought it might be nice to have something to wear if they have a reception."

Speed nodded. "Why don't I get cleaned up? Instead of a picnic, we'll go dancing. You look too pretty to not take out."

"Oh Speed," Trixie blushed. "I'd like that."

"You okay on your own, Sparky?"

"Sure thing, Speed. I got this."

"I'll be right here, putting the kit together."

"When I get back, I'm going to claim that kiss," Speed said.

Trixie blushed. "I might demand a kiss in payment for it."

"We may have to negotiate some," he said.

"Okay guys, getting a little thick in here," Sparky said with a laugh.

Trixie blushed as Speed rushed out of the garage. She started organizing the emergency kit, humming softly.

"You seem a lot happier lately, Trixie," Sparky said sliding out from under the Mach 5.

Trixie smiled and nodded. "Oh, I am. Speed is so wonderful."

"You've always thought that," Sparky said.

"Well, he has always been wonderful, it's just that now I get to spend more time with him," she said softly. "I feel like the luckiest girl in the world."

"Speeds a very lucky fella too, you know."

Trixie shrugged.

Sparky looked seriously at her. "Are you kidding? Pretty girl like you, putting up with the amount of time he spends with his car…heck, even knowing enough about cars to be part of his team? Most girls wouldn't care anything about anything other than being in the spotlight surrounding Speed."

"I don't care about that. I just want to do whatever I can to help Speed," Trixie said.

Sparky nodded. "And that's why he's a lucky fella. I hope someday I'll find a girl like you."

Trixie smiled. "I'm sure you will, Sparky."

"Well, I got a lot to do to finish getting the Mach 5 ready if we're going to be ready for the race on Saturday." Sparky slid back under the Mach 5.

"I know! I'm almost all packed up. I can't wait to watch Speed race again," Trixie said.

Speed walked in and went straight to Trixie and pulled her to him. "And I can't wait to take my girl dancing. Are you ready?"

Trixie nodded. "So, how are we getting there?"

Speed grinned. "You want to drive?"

"I suppose I could," Trixie said. "You sure?"

"Why not, Trix? You're a great driver."

"Maybe I should enter a race sometime," she said with a grin.

Speed looked at her. "I don't know, Trixie. I'm sure you'd do great. But…"

She crossed her arms, "But what, Speed?"

"I'd worry too much about you."

Trixie hugged Speed. "I worry about you, too you know."

Speed nodded and hugged her. "Why are we fighting about this? You don't really want to race, do you?"

"Not really. As long as you don't try to replace me as navigator when you need one."

"Can we talk about this later?" Speed asked. "I really just want to dance with you and hold you close."

Trixie laughed. "You're not getting out of this so easily. We can talk about it on the way."

Sparky chuckled from under the car. "I told you she wouldn't give that up, Speed."

Trixie looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

There had not been any navigated races since last year's TransAfrican, a race that Speed had not competed in. So Trixie had had plenty of time to recover. Even the Race Across the Desert did not require a navigator. But Speed had not really gotten over what had happened the last time she had.

Speed put his arm around her waist and led her to her car. He opened the driver's side door for her and Trixie got in. Then he walked to the passenger side and got in.

Trixie looked at him. "Speed, I know you're worried. You were scared last year, I get that. But just like I have encouraged you to get back out and race again, even after some pretty bad wrecks, you've got to trust in me too."

"It's not you I don't trust, Trixie. There's no one I trust more, not even Sparky. I'm just afraid of what could happen."

Trixie shrugged. "Anything can happen, even outside of a race. But we can't let that stop us from doing what we love."

"You're right, Trixie. I know you're right," Speed said with a smile. "You're my navigator."

Trixie smiled and started the car. "And you're my racer. I wouldn't navigate for anyone else."

"Good! I'd hate that. I love you, you know."

Trixie blushed. "I love you too, Speed. So, where am I driving us?"

Speed smiled. "First, you're driving us to the Four Seasons Club. I made us dinner reservations before I came back to the garage. And after dinner, the Top Note Lounge has a sixteen piece band playing."

Trixie looked at him in shock. "You were planning on us going dancing all along, weren't you?"

Speed tried to look innocent.

"You were! Oh, Speed!"

"I'm going to be really busy with this race, and I wanted to make sure I had some good quality time with you before I had to start to focus and ignore you again."

Trixie laughed happily. "I know you're not ignoring me when you're preparing for a race, you know that."

"I know. But I feel like I am. And I miss spending time with you."

Trixie pulled up to the Four Seasons Club and parked the car. Speed came around and opened the door for her. She smiled up at him, and prepared herself to be swept off her feet by the man she loved.

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The race was Saturday, but today was a travel day. Speed, Trixie, and Sparky drove to the airport in the Mach 5. They would get there the day before the race and have a day to finish preparations and rest up for the race.

Although Speed would normally be studying the map during the flight, the course map would not be provided for this race until the reception for the racers, so he decided to take a nap during the flight. He felt unusually tired, and had been all week. Speed supposed it was because he was spending so much time working with Sparky on the Mach 5. Since he knew he would need rest for the race, Speed figured he would rest on the flight.. Trixie looked at him for a moment and shrugged, then took out her book. Sparky passed the time going over the specs of the Mach 5 engine.

Trixie looked to Sparky a moment. "Does Speed look okay to you?" she whispered. Even when he did not have race preparations to do, he usually didn't sleep so early in the flight.

Sparky looked over. "Sure, Trix. He looks fine. He's probably just tired. He and I have been working pretty hard getting the Mach 5 ready."

"If you're sure," Trixie said.

"Course I'm sure."

She nodded. "Thanks, Sparky."

"Besides this race is really important. Speed isn't about to let anything stand in the way of that."

"I know," Trixie said.

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The Race Across the Desert was held in the small country of Sandanistan. Speed woke up from his nap just as the plane was descending to find Trixie leaning against his shoulder, sleeping as well. He smiled and shook her slightly. "Looks like we're almost here," he said with a smile.

Trixie nodded.

"So, what's the plan for tonight, Speed?" Sparky asked.

"I've got to go to a reception for the drivers, where we'll get the course map, and then I plan on spending tomorrow studying it."

"I wish I could have brought my copter," Trixie said, "so I could spot for you."

"Me too, Trix."

"Well, while you're at the reception, I'll get us unpacked," Trixie said.

"And I'll get the Mach 5 secured," Sparky added.

Speed nodded. "That sounds good. I wish you could come to the reception."

"Me too," Trixie said. "But I'm sure I'd find it boring anyway."

Speed laughed as they disembarked. "You're probably right. " He felt a little off an nearly stumbled when he picked up that suitcase. Speed frowned, but was glad that Trixie had not noticed.

"So I can go to the hotel spa and have a massage and a pedicure and a manicure," Trixie said.

Sparky and Speed laughed.

Soon, the trio was on their way to the Sandanistan Savannah, the hotel serving as headquarters for the Race Across the Desert. "Oh, Speed. This is a beautiful hotel," Trixie cooed as they pulled up.

"Yes, it is. The racing commission always seems to find really nice places to sponsor the drivers. I think we've stayed at some of the nicest places in the world while competing."

Sparky nodded. "We have. I've seen some of these places in travel guides. The Sandanistan Savannah is known for its five star restaurant, the Oasis, and the cascading pools. It starts out on the fifth floor of the hotel and gradually cascades down to the first floor, both inside and outside pools. I can't wait to see that."

"Oooh," Trixie said. "Maybe I should buy a swimsuit."

Speed grinned. "I'd like to see that."

Trixie pulled him in for a hug. "Maybe you'll have to take a break tomorrow and go with me."

He smiled. "Maybe I will." Then he kissed her tenderly.

When they broke apart, Trixie looked at him and frowned. "You feel warm, Speed."

"Warm for you, gorgeous," he said, holding her close.

Sparky just rolled his eyes a moment. "You guys can stay out here if you'd like, but I'm going to go check us in."

Trixie gazed up at Speed. "I love it when you do that," she murmured.

"What? This?" he asked before kissing her again.

"Mmm hmmm," Trixie said.

Speed held onto her for just another moment. "Sparky's right though, we do need to check in."

"And you do have that reception to go to," Trixie reminded him.

"And you have a swimsuit to buy."

Trixie laughed.

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The reception had lasted longer than Speed had expected last night, and by the time he got back to the hotel room, Trixie had already gone to bed. He looked in on her and whispered her name. She didn't respond to his call, so Speed decided she was soundly asleep and went back to his room. He took out the course map and started to look at it, but his head hurt, and he was tired. "I can look at this tomorrow." Then he placed it on his night stand and got ready for bed.

Within a few minutes, he too was asleep.

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In the morning, Speed heard Trixie humming in the sitting room as he woke up. He got dressed and went out to join her. "Good morning, handsome. Did you rest well?"

"I did. What about you?" Speed yawned, then smiled.

Trixie shrugged. "Okay. I missed you last night."

Speed pulled her to him. "I missed you too, sweetie. So very much. So, did you get that swimsuit?"

Trixie giggled. "Of course I did. While you're working on your maps, I'm going to go for a swim."

"I could come with you," Speed said.

Trixie smiled. "I wish you could, but we both know that you need to study those maps and get your concentration on the race. I don't want to be a distraction to you."

He nodded. "You're right, of course. But you're a very good distraction."

Trixie blushed. "But you could join me for breakfast before you start," she said with a wink.

"I could," Speed said.

"And then it's right back up here, mister," Trixie said with a grin.

Speed nodded. He held onto her as a slight wave of dizziness shook him. 'hmm,' thought Speed. 'I must have been more tired than I thought. Maybe after breakfast, I should rest a little more before starting,' He decided not to say anything, because he was certain it was nothing a short nap wouldn't fix.

The two went down to the Oasis for breakfast. Trixie chatted happily about her plans for the day. Speed smiled and picked at his food.

"You don't like it?" Trixie asked.

Speed shrugged. "I had a big dinner last night. I'm not really hungry. Besides, you know I don't really eat a huge breakfast except on race days."

Trixie nodded. After they were done, Speed hugged her. "You have fun today."

"You too, Speed," Trixie kissed his cheek, and noticed it felt a little warmer than yesterday. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Trix. Don't worry," Speed said with a smile. "Go have fun. I'll see you at dinner."

She looked at him for a moment, and then nodded.

Speed went back to their suite and sat down to look at the map, but it seemed to be a little blurry. 'Maybe I'm just tired. I'll go take a quick nap,' Speed thought. He stood up and went back to his room and lay down on the bed. Soon he was sleeping very soundly.


	2. Chapter 2

At noon, Trixie decided to surprise Speed and picked up a basket of food for lunch. She headed back to the room.

When Trixie entered their suite, she was surprised to see the map on the table. But Speed was nowhere to be seen. "Speed?" Trixie called out. No answer.

Trixie raised an eyebrow as she sat the basket down on the coffee table. Then she went looking for him. She knocked on the door to his room, then opened it slowly. Trixie was surprised to find Speed lying on top of his bed, fast asleep. "Speed?" Trixie called again. There was no response.

Trixie reached out to shake his shoulder. He was burning up. "Speed?" she whispered, but he didn't respond to her.

She sat down next to him. "Oh Speed," Trixie said. She dialed the concierge and asked for a doctor to be sent to the suite. Trixie hoped it was nothing serious. However, she worried. Speed had not had any chance to study the map.

Sparky came in before the doctor arrived. "Trixie, what's going on?" he asked.

"Speed's sick. I've called for a doctor. Listen, do you know of any rule that says this race cannot have a navigator? I know that it's not really needed for this race, but Speed hasn't had any chance of studying this map," Trixie said. She held onto Speed's hand, and willed him to wake up.

The doctor arrived while Sparky was researching the use of a navigator for the Race Across the Desert. Trixie stayed while the doctor examined Speed. He looked at her and frowned. "I don't' think it is anything serious, but he probably won't wake up until sometime tomorrow morning. He's running a low fever. If he wakes up, give him some water, and if he'll eat, some fruit or bread. If he doesn't rouse by noon, call me."

Trixie looked at the doctor, very surprised, then back to Speed. She nodded and held Speed's hand. As soon as the doctor left, Sparky came in. "What did he say?"

"That it was nothing serious, and he would likely not awaken until tomorrow." She frowned. "If we were back home, and Speed weren't waking up like this, the doctor wouldn't just say 'call me if he doesn't wake up by noon.' He'd have him admitted to the hospital, or at least try to take some tests." Trixie was very worried. She got up and went into the bathroom, wetting down a washcloth with cool water and bringing it back. She placed it across his forehead.

Sparky frowned. "Well, I checked the rules. A navigator is allowed. It's not commonly done, but it is within the rules."

"That settles it." Trixie stood up and went to the sitting area. She fixed herself a sandwich and got a couple of bottles of water, then she grabbed the map. "There's food in the basket, if you're hungry Sparky."

Trixie sat beside Speed, studying the map. Every once in a while she'd stop to freshen Speed's wash cloth. He seemed to be burning up, but the doctor wouldn't do anything for him. "Oh, Speed. Please wake up so I can see your beautiful eyes."

Sparky came in with a sandwich and handed it to Trixie. "Trix, you've been at this for hours. You need to get some rest too, if you're going to navigate for him in the morning," Sparky said, looking in on them.

"I can't rest," Trixie said. "I'm so worried about him." She felt completely helpless.

"At least eat something," Sparky said, handing her the sandwich.

Trixie frowned at it, but took the sandwich from him. "Thanks." But she made no motion to eat the food.

Sparky came back with a blanket and pillow for Trixie. "If you won't go get some rest in your room, at least get some rest here," Sparky looked at her. "If you're going to navigate for him, you need to be up for the job, Trixie. So eat that sandwich," Sparky urged.

Trixie nodded and took a small bite. "I'm just so worried about him, Sparky. He's always the strong one."

Sparky smiled to her. "Speed's going to be fine. I believe it, and you should to. He'd just over done it, because he's so stubborn, so now his body is forcing him to take a rest. You know how intense he can get."

Trixie nodded. "You really believe he just needs some sleep."

"Course I do, Trixie. I wouldn't lie to you. Not about Speed," Sparky lied. He was worried about his friend, but Trixie needed to hear words of reassurance right now, not more worry.

She gave him a small smile.

"Now, get some rest. Speed would be very upset with me if I let you get sick taking care of him. And you wouldn't want to Speed to be upset with me….would you?"

Trixie nodded. She took the pillow and blanket, and curled up. Sparky nodded and left the room. Trixie soon fell asleep, holding onto Speed's hand.

Morning came. Trixie awoke with a start, and immediately checked on Speed. "Speed, wake up, please wake up," she pleaded. But she knew that even if he did, Speed would be in no condition to race, not after spending the day before the race unconscious.

But he did not respond.

Sparky came in. "How's he doing?"

"No change, Sparky." Trixie frowned. She looked around the room as if formulating a plan. "Sparky, you're going to have to take care of him, make sure he gets some water, try to keep him cool. And call the doctor if he doesn't wake up by noon."

Sparky looked at her. "And where exactly will you be?" he asked.

Trixie was already at Speed's dresser, pulling out a blue shirt, pair of white pants, red socks and red scarf. She looked at him. "In the Mach 5."

"What are you talking about?" Sparky asked urgently. He tried to grab her arm to stop her, but Trixie just spun around and glared at him.

"You know how important this race is!" Trixie said. "If Speed's not in it, then he'll miss half of next season!"

"I know, but…."

"And if the Mach 5 isn't in it, then Racer Motors won't get the orders for this great new engine Pops designed! There's no choice. Don't you see?"

Sparky stared at her. "Trixie, the Mach 5 has to be a top finisher for the motor to get the recognition. And if you don't do well, it might even be worse than a no-show."

"I can do this, Sparky. I know it." She went to her room and put on Speed's usual racing outfit, then she grabbed his helmet and put it on. "How do I look?"

Sparky shrugged. "Like Speed." He looked at her. "If you're going to do this, at least let me give you some pointers." Trixie nodded. "You know this is a running start. The racers all start behind a line and run to their cars. Speed's not the fastest at this, but he's not the slowest. You're really going to have to power through this. And you're going to have to wear his shoes for this part – unless you want your disguise to be seen right through before you even start."

Trixie nodded. She put her shoes on, then stepped into Speed's shoes. This was going to be harder than expected.

"Fortunately, Speed drew a high number, so the Mach 5 will near the back. Ordinarily, we'd be really bothered by the start position, but for what you're going to have to do, this is good. As soon as you can, you're going to want to get those shoes off because that's going to interfere with your driving. Are you really sure about this?"

"I can do it," Trixie assured him.

"Okay, now this new motor is really fast. Faster than you're used to. Speed's only gotten to test it once since Pops installed it. It has a lot of power, so make sure you ease into it. And don't try to drive with only one hand. This motor has power, okay?"

Trixie nodded.

"And don't get hurt. Speed'll kill me for letting you do this," Sparky said. "He'll probably be really angry when he wakes up anyway, but don't get hurt. Okay?"

"I don't intend to. I want to win this for Speed. Please take care of him, Sparky. I'm counting on you to keep him safe. Okay?"

"Okay, Trixie. But you better be careful out there. If you get hurt, Speed's gonna kill me."

She walked over to Speed and brushed his hair off of his forehead. "I love you," she whispered before bending down and kissing his forehead. Then she walked out of the suite and down to the start of the race.

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Trixie stood at the start, dressed as Speed, and not talking to any of the other racers. She could not afford to have them hear her voice or get too close. It was essential that everyone bought the ruse that she was Speed Racer. She focused on the start and waited for the starting pistol. As soon as it sounded, she put all of her effort into running faster than she ever had before, and not tripping on shoes that were far too big for her. She didn't have the best start time, but she was not the last to get to her car either. As soon as she was there, she kicked off Speed's shoes and started the Mach 5, then she put it into gear and drove, dodging all the cars still in front of her and making the drivers still running for their cars jump out of the way.

Trixie was certainly not the first out of the gate, but she was already in the race, and dozens of cars remained on the track behind her.

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Sparky was anxiously watching the race on the television, when he heard a moan from beside him.

"Speed?" Sparky said as he turned and looked at the racer.

Speed opened his eyes and looked blearily at Sparky.

"Hey, how ya doing, buddy?" Sparky asked, handing him a bottle of water.

Speed reached out and took it. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"Watching over you," Sparky said.

Speed looked at him, confused. "Why, because I took a nap?"

Sparky raised an eyebrow. "You took a nap yesterday, Speed. Today is Saturday."

Speed immediately sat up and looked at the clock. "The race! Why didn't you wake me?" He asked. Then he laid back down. "Oooh. My head."

"You think we didn't try? Speed, you've been running a fever for the past 24 hours." Sparky handed him a bottle of water. "Drink some of this."

Speed looked around. "Where's Trixie?" He was surprised she was not there. Then he caught sight of the race that Sparky was watching. "And who, exactly, is driving the Mach 5?"

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Trixie held onto the wheel tightly as she came up on another tight turn. The first turn had been really hard, with the added power of the Mach 5. She'd almost lost control of the wonderful car, but she had managed to rein it in just in time. Now she'd done enough that she knew how fast she could take them without losing control. She had been driving for about an hour, and was fast approaching the 250 mile mark. The race was a thousand miles, so it was a quarter of the way over.

Trixie had truly found a new appreciation for Speed's skills during this race. It was grueling. As navigator, she didn't have to constantly watch the road, watch the other cars, control the car, gage everything. She only had to watch the map and the road, and let Speed know where things were. This was physically demanding.

But she was not going to let Speed down. His career was in her hands right now. A poor showing could damage him, could damage Racer Motors. Trixie had said she could do this, and she was going to have to.

With that thought, she pressed down on the accelerator and felt the Mach 5 surge into a new life as it charged by a couple more racers. Trixie was right behind the leader. That was exactly where she wanted to be. Let him lead for a while. She was not going to let him get out of range, and she was going to win this race. For Speed.

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Speed was still fussing about Trixie driving, as he watched the race. Finally, Sparky shrugged and just grinned. "You ever try to convince her she couldn't do something?"

Speed nodded. "Many times." He took a deep breath. "She's doing pretty good though, isn't she?"

Sparky smiled. "Pretty good? Speed, she's in the 2nd spot right now. You should have seen the start though! I don't think I've ever been happier we had drawn a rotten starting position. Hard enough to do a running start in your own shoes, can't imagine how she did it in yours!" Sparky looked seriously at Speed. "I hope you know how lucky you are to have her."

Speed nodded. "I do, Spark. I do."

"Good," Sparky said. "How are you feeling?"

Speed shrugged. "Still tired, but I can't go to sleep now!" He settled in to watch the race. He was pretty anxious. "Is this what she goes through every time I race?" Speed asked.

Sparky shrugged. "Probably. Of course, she knows you're a terrific racer Speed. Trixie's never done anything like this. So you don't know how she's going to do."

Speed glared at him. "Yeah, most she's ever done is a couple of laps around the track. I don't know what made her think she could do this!" He looked at Sparky.

Sparky watched the screen. "We've been talking about how important this race is, to you and to Racer Motors. I think she was desperate to make sure that nothing jeopardized that."

"Not even me," he said seriously. "Doesn't she understand she's more important to me than a stupid race?"

Sparky smiled. "And you're very important to her, Speed. She'd do anything to help you."

"Yeah, that's what I worry about sometimes," he smiled at Sparky before frowning.

Sparky nodded. Trixie had just passed the 500 mile mark. She had been holding onto the second position, but he knew that once she passed the 750 mile mark, other racers would start to make their move for the leaderboard. He was proud that Trixie had not made a move to catch the leader yet.

"Come on, Trixie. You're doing great!" Speed shouted as they showed another split. She had been keeping great time.

"You want to radio her, Speed?" Sparky asked.

Speed looked indecisive. "I do, but I don't want to throw her off."

"She's probably worried about you, Speed, and would love to hear your voice. As long as you're not going to fuss at her," Sparky counselled.

"Well, I am worried about her."

Sparky shrugged. "So am I, but she's doing really well. Let her know you're proud of her, okay? Save the fussing until she gets back here."

Speed nodded.

Sparky went over to the radio transmitter that he usually kept with him in the race pit and picked up the speaker. "Sparky calling the Mach 5. Come in, Trixie."

Trixie picked up. "This is the Mach 5. Sparky, is Speed okay?"

"Yeah, Trix. And he'd like to talk to you."

"He's not mad at me, is he?" she asked. She sounded very worried.

"No way, Trix! He's so proud of you he could just about burst. Here he is," Sparky said before handing over the radio.

"Hey Trixie," Speed said.

"Speed! Oh, Speed, I'm so glad you're awake. I was so worried about you!"

"I'm okay. Still a little dizzy, but much better. You're doing great, Trixie. I'm so proud of you."

"Do you have any tips for me?" Trixie asked. "Wait a minute, turns coming." She put the radio down.

"You concentrate on driving, don't worry about talking back to me, sweetheart. I'm going to be right here, watching you," Speed said.

He was amazed at how quickly she took the turns, given the new power of the engine. But she'd been handling the Mach 5 in a very fast paced race for most of the day. By now, she was probably more familiar with the new engine's capabilities than anyone, except maybe Pops. But even he had not experienced it. Speed was actually jealous that Trixie might know his car better than he did right now.

"That was some beautiful driving, Trixie," Speed said as the race coverage showed that she had finished the turns and was now into a straightaway.

-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-Mach Go Go Go -5-5-5-5-5-5-5-

Trixie could not wait for this race to be over. The dust from the road was all over her face and she could feel it in her pores, and all through her hair. Still, the race was exhilarating.

Trixie looked in the rear view mirror and saw several cars making their moves, jockeying for a better position. Well, they were not getting hers! She pressed down on the accelerator and felt the engine purr into life. This new engine thrived on speed and Trixie laughed as she felt it surge.

Another car came up behind her and bumped the Mach 5, trying to cause her to lose control. She'd seen this before when Speed raced. She held her own and when they approached another turn, Trixie pressed her advantage and clipped the front headlight when he tried to run into her again.

Now was the time. Trixie didn't worry about the cars behind her. It was time to go for it! She started to pursue the lead racer. Trixie grinned, then narrowed her eyes, and pushed the accelerator to the floor. The Mach 5 roared and flew forward, faster than she'd ever dreamed of going. Soon she was right behind the car she had been following this entire day, and as far as Trixie was concerned, she was finished eating his dust. It was time to return the favor.


	3. Chapter 3

Speed and Sparky were on the edge of their seats, watching the race. Speed had growled when the number 8 car had tried to push Trixie around, and cheered when she showed him what she could do. "She's making her move, Sparky. See it?" Speed asked. He could not believe how well Trixie was handling the race.

Sparky nodded.

"She's going to do it!" Speed shouted excitedly. "She's going to win!" We have to get down there to cheer her on!"

Sparky shook his head. "You can't go, Speed. As far as anyone else thinks, you're driving the Mach 5."

Speed frowned. "Then you've got to get down there, someone has to be there when she finishes. She'd be there for me. But I can't be there for her," he said sadly.

"No, you can't. Not unless you want everyone to know she's an imposter," Sparky said. He grabbed his hat. "I'll go down and cheer her across the line."

Speed nodded. "And I'll make sure she gets a celebration when she gets back up here."

Sparky smiled and waved, then ran out of the room. The race was nearing a conclusion, and he wanted to be at the finish line when Trixie crossed it.

Sparky arrived just as the announcer shouted over the speaker system. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the first drivers are on their final approach. Right now, it's too close to call, but the first drivers coming in are Speed Racer in the Mach 5, representing Racer Motors, and Dirk Spratly in the Red Dragon, representing Dragon Racing Team. It's going to be a photo finish."

Sparky cheered, "Go Speed!" He waved madly as the white and red cars appeared in the distance. If Trixie held onto her pace, she'd put Speed in a great position for next season, and Racer Motors would have a lot of orders coming in. He held his breath as the two cars entered the stadium for the final lap. Everyone was on their feet, cheering for the racers.

As they neared the second to last turn, Trixie made her move. She pushed ahead and edged in front of Spratley. By the last turn, she had a full car length on him and as the checkered flag came down, Trixie, in the Mach 5, crossed the finish line in first place.

Trixie had won the Race Across the Desert. Sparky knew Speed had to be bursting with pride, but he also knew he had to get her out of there as quickly as possible. The illusion would falter quickly if he could not.

So Sparky pushed forward to the cars, and charged up to the Mach 5. "Way to go, Speed!" he shouted as he looked into Trixie's smiling face. She looked up at him. "Get your shoes," he whispered.

Trixie nodded. She scrambled to put on the shoes and opened the door to the Mach 5, climbing out. Trixie faltered for a moment. Standing felt strange after sitting for so long.

Sparky shook her hand and said softly. "You're going to have to do the awards ceremony, but just stand and wave. And don't say anything. I'll get you out of here as quickly as I can, okay?"

Trixie nodded. She waved to the crowd, which cheered loudly and she smiled.

Soon the rest of the drivers were approaching the stadium, jockeying for a good finish. Trixie applauded them all as they came in and waited patiently for the presentation. Then Sparky led her back to the Mach 5 and she drove it back to the hotel.

"Sparky! I won!" Trixie chattered as she drove. "I can't believe it."

"Neither can I, but you were amazing. Speed is so proud of you."

"I wish he could have come down."

"He wanted to, but it would have ruined the illusion."

Trixie nodded. She parked the car, and the two of them walked back upstairs. As soon as she walked into their suite, she felt herself being pulled into a tight embrace. Sparky shut the door behind them. Speed held Trixie. "You were amazing. Amazing."

"Are you okay? I was so worried about you." She reached up and caressed his face, smiling at him.

"I'm fine. But I want to take you out to celebrate that win," Speed said. He gave her a quick kiss.

"I'm a mess."

Speed kissed her again. Then he looked at her. "You're a beautiful mess." He grinned. "But you should probably get cleaned up. Maybe wear that pretty dress?" he asked hopefully.

Trixie nodded, then ran off to take a shower.

Speed looked at Sparky. "I didn't really think she could do it. But she didn't just do a good enough showing for Racer Motors to get recognition, she won this race. Her very first race, and against a lot of seasoned drivers, Sparky!" He looked at him. "The way I was feeling, still feel to be honest, I don't think I could have finished," Speed admitted. "I certainly shouldn't have raced, and I know I would never have admitted it."

"At your best, you could have," Sparky said.

"You're right. But I was not at my best," he said. "But you know who was the perfect driver for this race? Trixie. I have to admit though, I understand a little more of what she goes through with every race. At any moment, she could have lost control of the car, or been hit by a driver who had lost control of his, or not been able to handle it when that dirty racer rear ended her. A lot of things can happen in a race. I don't really think about them when I'm behind the wheel, because I know that's what I have to deal with to be a professional racer, and it's what I love doing, but now I know what she's feeling. It's one thing to deal with the problems, and it's another to watch the person you love face them, while you can do nothing."

Sparky grinned. "So, the next time she tells you she wants to race, what are you gonna say?"

Speed smiled. "I'll ask Pops to build her a car. If she's going to race, it's going to be in a car designed by the best, and that's my father."

Sparky laughed when Speed added. "But I really hope she doesn't want to race again. Especially not against me."

"Why, don't you think you could beat her?" Sparky asked.

"No!" Speed said with a smile. "Besides, I'd rather she navigate for me."

A few minutes later, Trixie emerged from her room. "You look beautiful."

"I felt like I'd never get that grime out," Trixie said.

"Are you up for dancing?" Speed asked pulling her to him.

She looked up at him. "As much as I hate to admit this, no. I don't know how you do it, Speed. I'm mentally and physically exhausted from that race."

Sparky put in, "And I bet you didn't get much sleep in that chair last night either."

She glared at him and Speed looked at her, frowning. "Trixie?"

"I was worried about you," she said softly.

Speed smiled. "I worry about you too, my love." Then he looked at her. "So. Do you want to race again?"

Trixie smiled. "Actually, I think I'd rather stick to navigating or spotting." She grinned cheekily at him. "But I'm a good driver."

"You are at that." Speed smiled. "When we go down to dinner, a bunch of people are probably going to come congratulate me on my win today. I wish you could have done it as yourself, because you deserve all those accolades. Please don't think I don't know it."

Trixie nodded.

"Say Speed, what are you two going to say when they ask why Trixie wasn't at the finish line? She's always there," Sparky asked.

Trixie grinned. "That I was really sick and could barely stand, but I'm feeling better now." Then she looked at him. "You are, right? You're not going to overdo it tonight, right?"

He shook his head and smiled. "My hero. Always watching out for me. What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"You're wonderful, Speed. That's what."

"And you're amazing."

Right then, the phone rang and Sparky grabbed it. "Hey Speed, phone call for you."

Speed rolled his eyes and grinned, then walked over and took the phone from him. "Hello?"

"Speed, that was an incredible race!" Pops shouted. "I've already gotten four big orders."

Speed smiled. "Thanks, Pops, but I'm not the one you should be congratulating."

"What?" Pops yelled.

"I was sick last night. I didn't race the Mach 5 today," Speed said.

"Then who did?" Pops shouted.

"Pops, Trixie drove the Mach 5." Speed held the phone away from his ear as the expected explosion from Pops Racer came over the phone. Trixie winced from across the room.

"Trixie? She's not a trained racer. She could have been hurt. She could have ruined the engine. Why was she racing? Why was she racing as you? She could have ruined your reputation if she'd performed poorly. But instead you're getting credit for what she did. How could you let her do this, Speed?!"

"Whoa, Pops. I didn't let her do anything," Speed said. "I didn't even know she'd entered until the race was well underway."

"Put Trixie on the phone."

Trixie shook her head vigorously. Speed mouthed, "Oh no you don't. You race, you deal with Pops." Then handed her the phone. He grinned at her.

"Hello Pops," Trixie said in a small voice.

"I know you won that race today, but that was very foolish. You aren't trained. Why would you do such a thing?"

When Pops paused for a breath, Trixie answered. "I didn't think we had a choice. You needed the Mach 5 in that race so people could see how well the new engine performed. And Speed needed that race to qualify for next season, otherwise he'd have to wait until the next open race."

"That doesn't justify your putting yourself in danger. You're more important to us. You had no business getting in the cockpit of the Mach 5 and pretending to be Speed. You could have done more damage than good. You got lucky."

Trixie had had it with being yelled at. "Thank you, but I just won that race. Maybe I'm better qualified than you thought," she shouted, then threw the phone and ran to her room.

Speed looked at Sparky, then picked up the phone, bracing himself for his father's reaction to Trixie's outburst. "Pops?" The line was silent for a moment.

"Speed, tell Trixie I'm sorry. I overreacted. She raced really well, well enough that I thought it was you. Your mother just told me I had no call yelling at her like that."

Speed nodded, then said, "Well, I didn't exactly react well when Sparky first told me what she did. But you yourself said you've already gotten four big orders. So it was for the best. Besides she did it for us, not herself. Now, I've got to go talk to Trixie."

"All right, son," Pops said, then hung up.

Sparky looked at Speed. "I think I'll go try out that pool now."

Speed nodded, then went and knocked on Trixie's door. "Trix?"

"Go away," Trixie sobbed.

Speed opened the door and saw his girl sobbing on her bed. He sat down next to her. "I'm sorry. Pops shouldn't have yelled at you, and he apologized."

"He's right. I could have done a lot of damage. I could have ruined your reputation and made it look like the new motor was awful."

"But you didn't, Trixie. You were amazing. And I still want us to celebrate."

She sniffed. "That I could have ruined your reputation and destroyed Pops' company?"

Speed just looked at her. "You know Mom got onto Pops about yelling at you like that. Besides, Pops only yells when he's worried. When he thought about what would happen, he got downright terrified." He reached out and caressed her face. "I have to admit, I yelled at Sparky when I found out. I was so scared." He smiled. "But then I learned what you go through, every time I race. And I understand why you'd rather be with me when I race."

Trixie nodded.

"Come on, I've got a dinner reservation for us."

Trixie smiled. They walked out of her room just as the phone rang again. Speed rolled his eyes and picked up the phone.

"Speed, let me talk to Trixie," Racer X said.

"It's for you. It's Racer X," Speed said.

Trixie looked puzzled but took the phone.

"So, when did you become a race car driver?" X asked.

"How did you know? Have you talked to Pops?" Trixie asked accusingly, preparing to get yelled at.

"No. I know Speed's style, and that wasn't it. And there's only one person I could think of who would go to the effort to race under his name. So, why did you do it?"

"He was sick and couldn't race," Trixie said.

"You did a great job. You should consider training to race. You'd be a good addition to the Racer Motors Team. There are not many women in this sport."

Trixie paused. She had dismissed the idea, but Racer X had a point. "I'll think about it." She hung up.

"Are you thinking about racing?" Speed asked.

"Would it be so awful if I were?"

Speed shook his head. "No. If that's what you want to do, you've certainly proved yourself to me." He grinned. "I'd worry a lot. But if that's what you want to do, how can I stand in your way? You've always supported me, so it might be my turn to do the same. Come on."

They had not taken three steps when the phone rang again. Speed answered it. This time, it was press wanting to ask him some questions. "There's a press conference scheduled in the morning," he said, trying to sound polite. "And now, I'd like to go celebrate with my girl." Then he hung up and shrugged. The phone rang as soon as he put it down.

Speed took Trixie's hand. "They can leave a message. Let's go."

"Oh, Speed."

-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-Mach Go Go Go -5-5-5-5-5-5-5-

The restaurant was a madhouse. Every few moments, someone was coming up to their table and interrupting them. Women trying to flirt with Speed, right in front of Trixie as if she were not even there; men wanting to talk about the race itself. Their special celebration had turned into a full on assault.

The manager finally came over to their table after their waiter complained that he could not even deliver the food to the couple. He forcefully shooed everyone away and apologized profusely for the interruption.

"I'm so sorry, sir. This is not how our patrons are usually treated. I've asked the chef to prepare your meal again as it was getting cold and the waiter could not bring it over. We'll have it sent to your room so you may enjoy your meal in peace," he said.

Speed smiled. "Thank you."

Meanwhile, Trixie was glaring at the women who had been fawning over Speed. This time, she was not mad at him. But she was furious at them. Speed stood up, and offered his hand to Trixie. She took it. While she stood up, she had a very mischievous grin on her face. Speed suspected something was up just moments before she kissed him.

Usually, Trixie was very reserved with public displays of affection, but this time, she was passionate. Speed pulled her close to him and kissed her deeply. When they pulled apart, they were both out of breath. And Speed had a lot on his mind, other than the prime rib and lobster he had ordered.

"What was that about?" he whispered. "I'm not complaining, mind you. You can do that anytime."

Trixie just gazed up at him and smiled, but out of the corner of Speed's eye, he could see jealousy on the faces of all of the women who had tried to pull his attention away from her. Trixie had shown them that she was very much an important person in Speed's life, even if they wished otherwise. Speed chuckled. "You know I only have eyes for you, right?"

Trixie nodded. "Yes. And now they do too."

He outright laughed. "Yes. Yes they do. I love you, you little minx."

Trixie giggled as he led her out of the restaurant and to an elevator. Soon they were on their way back to their suite.

"Dinner out with you would have been nice," Speed said as they reached their floor. "But this might just be even nicer." He leaned in and kissed her again. When he pulled back, Trixie's face was as flushed as he felt. He caressed her cheek. "You are so beautiful."

Trixie blushed. "I think you're the most handsome man in all the world. And I'm the luckiest girl to be with you."

Speed smiled. "You? My girl just won a grueling race for me. Do you know how amazing that is, Trixie? Do you even realize how amazing that is?"

She shrugged. "It's nothing you couldn't have done."

Speed led her into their suite. "And how long have I been racing? Training? But you…you just jumped in that car with nothing but the determination to help my career and Racer Motors. You're special."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Room service," a voice called.

"That would be dinner," Speed said. He opened the door, and their waiter from the Oasis pushed a cart into the room.

"Thank you."

"Oh you're welcome. I can't believe how those people were treating you. It's like they didn't get that you were there to have a special meal, just like they were!" he said.

Speed shrugged. "Well, we appreciate your helping us to have one anyway." Speed got out his wallet and gave the waiter a generous tip.

"Enjoy your meal," the guy said and headed out.

Speed looked at Trixie, and bit his lip. He was nervous, for once. Speed walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "You know," he whispered. "We could roll this into the bedroom." Speed kissed her cheek.

Trixie nodded. "We could," she said very softly. Speed kissed her again, this time with more intensity than they had in the restaurant. She responded just as passionately. They broke apart, both breathing very heavily. "Or, we could save it for later," she suggested.

Speed scooped her up in his arms, kissing her deeply. He carried her over to his room and opened the door. Speed set her gently on the bed, then went and locked the door before coming back to her. They kissed some more, caressing one another, and exploring each other in ways they had never dared.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked huskily.

Trixie nodded. "Are you?"

Speed nodded. "Oh, yeah. I'm sure. Wait right here," he said. Then he hopped up and went over to his dresser, looking for something. "Where is it!" he growled in frustration.

"What?" Trixie asked, starting to get up.

"No, stay there!" Speed said urgently. "Found it!" he shouted. He put something in his pocket, and picked something else up. Then he turned around.

Trixie was starting to get really confused.

Speed walked back to her. "I have had this for a while, waiting for the perfect moment. But there never seems to be one." Then he looked seriously at her. "This one seems pretty close."

Before Trixie could even react, Speed got down on one knee before her and held out a little blue velveteen box, which he opened up. "Will you marry me?"

For a moment, Trixie was stunned. But she soon smiled so big her cheeks were hurting as tears flowed down her face. "Yes, oh Speed, yes!" she shouted, and Speed stood up, engulfing her in a tight embrace. He kissed her, tenderly, then pulled back.

"Then let's see if this fits," he said, taking the ring out of the box. It was a heart shaped diamond, set in a white gold mounting. Simple, delicate, and beautiful.

Trixie looked at his face as he slid it on her finger, then she looked at the ring. "It's beautiful, Speed. I love it. I love you."

He pulled her back to him and kissed her. This time, there were no more interruptions.


	4. Chapter 4

Later, Speed held Trixie, nestled in his arms. He stroked the side of her arm as she lightly caressed his chest. "Are you getting hungry?" he asked her, leaning down to kiss her softly.

"A little," Trixie admitted.

Speed laughed. "I bet you're more than a little hungry. Stay right there." Speed got out of bed and grabbed his robe. Trixie pulled the covers up.

"Don't get shy on me now, sweetheart," he said.

Trixie blushed and laughed.

Speed walked out of his room. 'No. Our room,' he thought to himself and headed straight to the trolley with the room service.

"Oh, there you are," Sparky said as he saw Speed. "Where's Trixie?"

"She went to bed," Speed said calmly. It was the truth. He just was not elaborating on which bed Trixie went to. "I'm gonna take this to my room now," Speed said and pushed it away before Sparky could start up any more questions. He shut the door behind him and grinned to Trixie.

"Sparky's back."

"I heard," she said . Trixie looked at him. "So how are we going to do this?" Speed could hear nervousness in her voice.

Speed sat down beside her. "If it were up to me, I'd shout from the top of this hotel. But I'm more interested in how you want to proceed." He kissed her cheek.

Trixie shrugged. "I wouldn't mind letting everyone know we're engaged." She smiled at him. "I'm still a little in shock over that."

"I really have been trying to figure out how to ask you. For a while. I wanted it to be special, memorable."

Trixie blushed. "Oh, it was. Very." She leaned in and kissed him.

When they parted, Speed said, "Keep that up, and we won't get to eat anytime soon."

Trixie laughed, as Speed forced himself to go fix them some plates of food to eat. As soon as she smelled it, Trixie realized she was more than famished, and dug in with vigor. Speed laughed at her. "I knew you had to be starving. I'm always hungry after a race." He looked at her mock scoldingly. "And I just bet you didn't eat a good breakfast first, did you?"

"Didn't really have time to plan for one," she admitted.

Speed nodded. "I know."

"Oh, this is so good," Trixie sighed happily. Pretty soon, they had finished their dinner.

"Wonder what this is?" Speed asked as he lifted another cloche.

"Chocolate lightning cake!" Trixie exclaimed.

"Never heard of it," Speed said.

"It's a specialty of the Oasis. I wanted to try it, but it is ridiculously expensive. Three kinds of chocolate, over hazelnut and chocolate cake. In the center, when you cut it, will be a perfect lightning bolt. And the cake of the lightning bolt is made out of an orange liquor."

Speed cut it in half, and there was the perfectly formed shape. He took his fork and put a bit of cake on it, but instead of taking a bite, he fed it to Trixie, who sighed with pleasure. With a glint in her eye, she then fed Speed a bite.

By the time the cake was gone, they were consumed with one another.

-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-Mach Go Go Go -5-5-5-5-5-5-5-

Speed woke up earlier than usual, and smiled. Trixie was still asleep and he could gaze at her beautiful face without interruption. She was snuggled up against him. Speed enjoyed the feel of her, and knew he could get used to waking up like this.

He leaned over and kissed her. "Wake up," Speed whispered.

Trixie slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Good morning," she said.

"Good morning. How are you feeling today?"

Trixie stretched and then kissed his shoulder. "I could lie like this with you all day," she murmured, nuzzling close to him, then closing her eyes.

Speed chuckled very softly. She was obviously still very tired, as she was trying to go back to sleep.

"Oh no, you don't," Speed said, kissing her again. "Come on, Trixie, unless you want Sparky to know you spent the night with me, you've got to get up."

There was a loud knock at his door, and Sparky tried to open it. But Speed had locked it last night. "Speed!" Sparky shouted. "Speed, come quick, Trixie's missing."

Speed laughed and looked at her. "Well, too late."

Trixie blushed. "I love you."

He kissed her deeply. Then he walked over to the door to talk to Sparky.

"Speed, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Sparky," Speed said calmly. "I know exactly where Trixie is. She's fine."

There was silence on the other side. So Speed added. "And the ring fits."

Trixie laughed as she heard a loud whoop from Sparky.

"I take it he knew?"

Speed grinned. "He went with me when I bought it."

Trixie smiled. "Did everyone know but me?"

Speed shook his head. "Just Sparky," he said as he came back to his girl. His fiancée. Speed smiled as he tried that out in his mind.

"What?" Trixie asked.

"You're my fiancée," he said, smiling.

"And you're mine. Should we call your family?"

Speed nodded, "We should."

She smiled. "I really want to take a shower. And you need to get ready too." Trixie looked at the clock. "You have a press conference in an hour."

"Why don't we save time," Speed asked, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her.

Trixie melted into his embrace, but a moment later, shook her head. "I have a feeling it would not save any time. Neither one of us can control ourselves," she said with a grin.

Speed smiled. "You're right. I don't want to control myself around you, either."

"Oh, Speed," Trixie said softly. Then she pulled away and picked up his robe, putting it on. She steeled herself for facing Sparky, wearing Speed's bathrobe. She wondered what he would think. Trixie smiled at Speed, then quickly opened the door and dashed out.

"Morning, Trixie," Sparky called out. He smiled at her with a dopey grin. Trixie blushed, and went to her room.

-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-Mach Go Go Go -5-5-5-5-5-5-5-

As soon as Speed came out of his room, Sparky smiled at him. "So, I take it she said yes?"

Speed smiled.

"Congratulations, Speed. I do have a question though. You went to dinner, so why was there a room service trolley?"

"We kinda got mobbed by my adoring fans," Speed said crossly. But he brightened up quickly. "It worked out for the best though."

"Oh did it?"

"I finally got the nerve to ask Trixie to be my wife. And she said yes. As soon as she gets out of her shower, we need to call Mom and Pops."

"Mom is going to be thrilled. So will Pops," Sparky said. "You also have a press conference to get ready for."

Speed smiled as Trixie came out. She was wearing her red capris and favorite pink shirt. "Hello, beautiful." He walked over to her and kissed her. She snuggled into his embrace. "Ready to call Mom and Pops and share our exciting news?"

Trixie nodded. "Speed, I love you."

"I love you too. They are going to be so happy for us!" Speed said, holding onto her.

Sparky smiled and handed Speed the phone. Speed took a deep breath before dialing the number. He looked at Trixie and waited for the phone to be answered.

"Racer household," Pops said.

"Hi Pops," Speed said.

"Speed, how are you doing son? Did something happen?"

"Oh boy, yes something has happened. Is Mom around?" Speed asked.

"Yes she is, but tell me what has happened?"

Speed could hear his mom in the background asking "Is Speed allright?"

Trixie nudged him. Speed said, "I asked Trixie to marry me and she said yes!"

Both Mom and Pops were very excited about their congratulations. "We can't talk long. I have a press conference to do, and I'm going to tell everyone there. I just wanted to tell you first," Speed said. "See you when we get home!" Then he hung up to find Trixie looking at him in shock.

"You're going to announce it at the press conference?" Trixie asked, shocked and more than a little nervous.

"They're going to find out soon enough, we might as well be the ones to tell them."

Trixie looked worried. "Well, if you're going to tell everyone, I better change into something else," she said, darting back into her room.

"But you look beautiful!" Speed called after her.

Sparky shrugged.

When Trixie stepped back out, her hair was styled and she had put on makeup. She was wearing a pair of nice white slacks with a pink oxford shirt, unbuttoned to show a white lace chemise. Instead of her customary yellow bow, she had a red ribbon in her hair. "Wow, Trix," Speed said. "You are a knock out."

She blushed.

"Are you ready?"

"Not really, Speed. I don't like the press."

"Me neither, Trixie. But…you decided to win yesterday," he said with a grin. "So we have a press conference today."

"Don't remind me," she said ruefully.

Sparky and Speed laughed.

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The press conference was going according to schedule. There were a lot of questions about the performance of the Mach 5, which was difficult for Speed when he had not really experienced the new engine. Unfortunately Jewel Note noticed Trixie standing to the side, watching with a smile. Then Jewel saw the ring on Trixie's finger – unmistakably an engagement ring. When Speed acknowledged her, instead of asking about the race, Jewel asked: "When did you propose to your fiancee, Trixie Shimura?"

That single question had set off a firestorm from all of the other press. Speed had been mostly protected by being behind a table on a raised platform at the front of the room, but Trixie was not so lucky. They zoomed in on Trixie and surrounded her, peppering her with questions. "Are you pregnant? How did he propose? When is the wedding? Does his family know? When did he propose? Where were you yesterday? Where will the wedding be? Are you going to change your name? How many kids do you think you'll have?" She had cameras and microphones in her face, so close she could hardly breathe. This wasn't how they planned it. Speed was going to ask her to come up and sit next to him, and then he was going to announce it. Not like this.

"Speed!" She called out, and Speed tried to break through the wall of press surrounding his fiancée, but could not get through. They pressed in even closer to her, and he knew how she would react. She would panic. Trixie had never been one for the spotlight. She was happy enough for him to have it. Still, this was more of a hunt with her as the prey.

Speed shouted at the press, "Leave her alone!" He rushed over towards her, but the wall of reporters was too thick and he couldn't get through.

Trixie looked over towards Speed, trying to contain the panic she was feeling. She wanted to get away, but was completely surrounded. Trixie tried to push through, but they would not let her escape. "Please leave me alone," she cried, sinking to the floor.

Speed shouted at them. "If you do not want me turning every one of your names over to the Racing Commission and demanding that they revoke your press passes, you better leave my fiancée alone right now!"

It took only a minute, but they were soon all away from Trixie. Speed rushed over to her. "It's okay, sweetheart," he said softly as he pulled her to him.

Trixie nodded. "I didn't expect them to be so—"

"Vulturelike?" he asked.

Trixie nodded.

Speed smiled at her and kissed her softly. Much to his chagrin, he heard the clicking of cameras as their picture was taken. Speed stood up and offered Trixie his hand. She smiled and took it. Speed looked at the press. "Now, we will answer a couple of your questions. However, when we say we're finished, we are done. And you better let us leave, if you know what's good for you."

Trixie looked up at him, very surprised. Speed smiled to her. "We can control what we answer."

She nodded. Speed led her to the table and pulled a chair out for her. Then he sat down next to her.

Jewel Note asked, "When did you propose?"

Speed smiled and looked at Trixie. "Last night, after dinner." Trixie blushed.

Scar Pen asked, "Is Trixie pregnant?"

Speed glared at him. "No more questions." He offered Trixie his hand and they stood up. As soon as they did, the room erupted with questions. Speed put his arm around Trixie's shoulder and led her out of the room without answering a single one of their questions.

He did hear Jewel yell at the remaining reporters. "You're a bunch of fools! They wanted to share some wonderful news, and you were a bunch of jerks."

She stormed out. Speed looked at Trixie. "Would you mind if we gave her an exclusive interview?"

Trixie looked at Speed. "Same rules. She asks something we don't like, interview's over?"

"Same rules. Jewel's always been pretty fair, and she has a rough time on the circuit because the rest of the reporters are men. An exclusive with us could be pretty big for her," Speed said.

"Okay," Trixie said.

Speed winked at her, then kissed her, before calling out. "Hey, Jewel."

Jewel came over. "Yes?"

"Would you like an exclusive?"

Her eyes widened. Then she looked at Trixie. "Are you okay with this?"

Trixie smiled. "Speed says you're a pretty fair reporter. But same deal. We don't answer anything we don't want to."

Jewel smiled. "How about you just tell me your story in your own words, and I'll prompt with questions every once in a while?"

Trixie nodded.

"Let's go up to our suite," Speed said. Trixie held onto his arm and they led Jewel to their suite so they could conduct the interview.

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Sparky looked at Speed and Trixie. "Are you two sure you want to stay here instead of going home?"

"Just for a week, Sparky," Speed said. "We want a little time together before we get back, and this is a really nice place. Besides, once all the other racers leave, it should be a lot calmer since the fans will also leave and we'll have some time for ourselves."

Trixie smiled. "And Speed still hasn't seen my swim suit."

Speed smiled at her. "That's right. I haven't," he said softly.

"And there are a few sights around here that I'd really like to go see, and we haven't had the chance," Trixie said.

"I'll say," Speed said, staring into her eyes.

"Okay, okay, I'm going!" Sparky said. "Wait until I leave at least."

Speed chuckled and pulled Trixie to him, kissing her. They didn't even notice when Sparky left.

Speed finally broke the kiss and looked at Trixie. "How would you feel about eloping?"

"Eloping?" Trixie asked softly.

Speed kissed her. "I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I want that to start now."

"Oh, Speed," Trixie said, wrapping her arms around him.

"So?" he looked into her eyes. When Speed did that, Trixie could never resist anything he asked of her.

"Don't you think Mom and Pops will be upset?"

Speed shrugged. "They'll get over it," he whispered as he kissed her ear. "I don't want to talk about my parents right now. Do you?"

"No."

"Let's do it," Trixie said softly.

Speed pulled her closer to him, kissing her gently. "I do love you so much," he said. He looked at her. She was flush, and pliant to his touch. He could feel his heart beating fast.

"I love you too," she said softly.

Speed smiled. "So, it's settled." He pulled back and stood up.

"Speed?" Trixie asked, confused. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. But if we're going to elope, we need to go get our marriage license. " He pulled Trixie up too.

"You want to do that right now?" Trixie asked.

Speed looked determined. "Yes. I love you. I want to marry you as soon as possible."

"Right this minute? Are you sure there isn't something else you'd rather do right now?" Trixie asked, confused.

He pulled her to him for a passionate kiss. Trixie melted against him. This was where she wanted to be, always in his arms.

"I could hold you and kiss you all day, Trixie," Speed said.

"I'd like that," she purred.

"Are you ready to go?" Speed asked her softly.

"Can't it wait?" Trixie said, as she unbuttoned his shirt and kissed his neck.

Speed lifted her face and looked in her eyes. "No." He smiled at her. "But we can certainly come back to this," he said softly before kissing her again.


	5. Chapter 5

It did not take Speed long to find out that all they needed was a marriage license to get married. He found Trixie exiting a bridal shop. Speed smiled. "Did you find a dress?"

Trixie nodded. "They'll have it delivered up to our room," she said softly. "What did you find out?"

"We can go down to the courthouse tomorrow and get a license, and married at the same time," Speed said very softly. "I have an idea though."

"What's that, handsome."

"Let's pick a spot today. Then after we get married at the courthouse, looking like a couple of tourists of course, you can get dolled up and I'll get all handsome, and we'll go somewhere special and say our vows – just the two of us," Speed suggested.

"I don't know how you're going to 'get all handsome' when you're just about the most perfect man I've ever laid eyes on," Trixie said softly, with a sly smile.

Speed laughed. "And since you're beautiful all the time, I don't see how you could possibly become more beautiful. Yet, every day you do."

"Oh Speed," Trixie said with a smile. Then she winked at him. "You realize we probably make other people quite ill."

Speed shrugged. "That's not my problem."

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The day of their wedding was one Speed and Trixie were sure to remember. But soon, the honeymoon was over and they were on their way back home. Trixie was suddenly nervous about how the Racer household would react to their news.

"Relax, Trix. They love you. Besides, I suspect they have figured it was inevitable."

As they walked through the airport, Trixie spotted a magazine that had them on the cover. "Here's Jewel's story," she said, purchasing a copy to read on the plane.

Once the plane took off, Trixie leaned against Speed and took out her magazine. "So, are you ready to see if we should have helped her or not?"

Speed nodded.

Speed Racer, winner of the recent Race Across the Desert, certainly knows how to celebrate a victory. After yesterday's incredible victory, Racer proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Trixie Shimura. The happy couple sat down with me for a brief interview.  
JN: So, Speed, when did you know you were going to marry Trixie?  
SR: The day I met her,  
TS: Oh Speed.  
SR: It's true. You were over by your copter, and I just had to meet you. And the moment you turned around, I knew.  
JN: What about you, Trixie. When did you know you wanted to marry Speed?  
TS: That same day. I mean, just one look at those eyes….and a girl could get lost. I know I did.  
JN: How long of an engagement are you planning?  
SR: Not long. I can't wait to make Trixie my wife. (Note: At this point, Speed leaned over and kissed Trixie. All through this interview, they were very affectionate.)  
JN: Speed, tell me about Trixie.  
SR: _he smiled this really sweet, bright smile as he looked over at Trixie_. For one thing, she's really very brave. You should see her drive! But she's the most giving and wonderful person I know. I know that no matter what, I can count on her to be there to support me, to cheer me on, to hold me up. She's also really smart, smarter than a lot of people give her credit for. She can fly both a helicopter and a plane. But really, I know I wouldn't be where I am today without my Trixie..  
JN: Trixie, how did Speed propose?  
TS: _Trixie blushed and Speed interrupted_.  
SR: It was -  
TS: Very special. But he did get down on one knee.  
JN: I understand. With all this newfound attention, there are just some things that you want to keep for yourselves.  
_At this point, Trixie nodded._  
JN: One more question, Speed. What took you so long?  
_Trixie giggled as Speed turned bright red_  
SR: I wanted to make sure it was perfect. I've known for a long time I wanted to marry her, but I wanted to make sure that when I asked, it was perfect.  
JN: And was it?  
TS: Oh yes.  
Trixie blushed a lot while he was speaking. Really, the two of them are very sweet together. Our interview was very short, but I'd really like to thank them both for sitting with me. I could tell that they just wanted to spend time celebrating their new engagement. So on behalf of myself, Racing Times, and of course the fans, congratulations Speed and Trixie.

Speed read the article with Trixie and smiled. "I see she didn't mention anywhere that question about your family."

Trixie nodded. "It wasn't really an unusual question," she answered sadly.

Speed held his wife for a moment. "No, and that's why I didn't kick her out right then and there. But your response was. She didn't write about it." Speed looked to Trixie and smiled.

"I hate interviews, but she wasn't so bad to work with," Trixie said. "If I had to be interviewed again, I wouldn't mind if it were her."

Speed nodded. "So, are you okay with granting her another exclusive … in a couple of weeks?"

Trixie smiled.

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Although Speed and Trixie had been gone only a little over a week, it felt like a lifetime ago. A lifetime ago when Trixie had never raced and they were not married. Still, as Speed pulled up to his parents' house, he looked nervously at Trixie.

"How are we going to do this?" she asked him.

"I don't know yet," Speed said. "We'll figure something out."

Spritle ran out excitedly. "They're home! Speedy's home!" he charged over to his big brother, giving him a big hug as the rest of the family and Sparky came outside to greet them.

Mom Racer gave Trixie a hug. "Congratulations," she said. "I'm really proud of you, and happy for you."

Trixie smiled.

"We have a surprise for you in the garage," Pops said.

"What is it, Pops?" Speed asked.

"Why don't you follow me and I'll show you!" Pops said.

Speed looked at Trixie and shrugged. He took his wife's hand and they followed Pops into the garage. There, parked in the spot usually reserved for the Mach 5 was a beautiful pink car with almost identical lines. On the hood was a hot pink M and on the drivers side panel was her name.

"Oh, Pops. It's beautiful." Trixie said softly, staring at the car. Speed was already walking around the vehicle, checking it out. Trixie was too stunned to move.

Pops handed her a box. "The Mach 6 has all the same features as the Mach 5. But I've added a couple of new ones. Open the box."

The box held a bracelet.

"The Mach 6 has a homing device. If it's ever missing, I can locate it from here. And if you're ever in trouble, you just push the H button, and it will send out a distress call. That bracelet also has a homing device. As long as you're wearing it, no matter where you are, we'll be able to find you," Pops said.

Trixie threw her arms around Pops. "Thank you."

"I've got a similar bracelet for Speed. I figured if you're both wearing them, then people might think it's something that you share – and not a tracking device." He looked at her. "This is for emergencies, not just because Speed or I want to know where you are."

Trixie nodded. "I know. After last year, not knowing if you'd ever be able to find me, if I'd ever see Speed again, I know. This means a lot to me," she said softly. Truthfully, that bracelet meant almost as much as the Mach 6.

"Now, if you don't want to race, you don't have to. But if you can drive like that, you deserve your own racing car. Besides, I checked the rules of the Race Across the Desert qualifier. The team whose driver wins the race gets two berths for other drivers on his team. Racer Motors only has one driver on our team, but if you want to drive for Racer Motors, then I'd be happy to have you on our team."

Trixie blushed. She wasn't sure she wanted to race. And everyone seemed to be pushing her in that direction.

"Or you can just practice with Speed around the track and keep him on his toes. It's up to you," Pops added. "Are you ready to take her for a spin?"

She smiled. "Oh boy, am I!" Trixie exclaimed. She walked over to the Mach 6, and jumped into it like she'd seen Speed do so many times.

Pops rolled his eyes. "Why do I even bother with door hinges?"

Speed got into the passenger side and sat down next to her. "Hey Pops," Speed called out. Trixie looked over at him and he winked at her. She decided that they were about to need to make a fast exit and readied the keys.

"Yeah son?"

"This car is amazing! But you spelled Trixie's name wrong," Speed said.

"I what!?" Pops shouted. He walked over and looked at the writing that Speed was pointing at.

Trixie nodded. "Yeah, Pops. You spelled it S-H-I-M-U-R-A."

"That's how it's spelled," Pops said. "That's how I've always spelled it."

Speed shrugged. "Well, It's wrong. Trixie, tell him how you spell your last name," he said, laughing.

Trixie smiled. "I spell i R-A-C-E-R."

Pops gaped at his son, who put his arm around Trixie. Mom took a quick look at them. Sparky summed it all up. "You got MARRIED after I left? Speed, how long was that engagement? A day?"

Trixie blushed as Speed nodded. "I told you, Spark. I didn't want a long engagement."

Trixie turned the ignition just as Pops took a deep breath. She knew what was coming. She looked at Speed and he nodded, and she drove the Mach 6 out of the garage.


End file.
